Adapted from the 1962 fantasy novel by Madeleine L’Engle, the cinematic version of “A Wrinkle in Time” is a massive mess. It’s unfortunate, especially since rising filmmaking star Ava DuVernay (“Selma”), who is breaking barriers for women of color behind the camera, will have to chalk this one up as her first dud in a young but impressive career that started with the 2012 award-winning sleeper drama “Middle of Nowhere.”

“A Wrinkle in Time” is a convoluted fairy tale that attempts to turn its nonsensical narrative into something compelling. Sadly, the story, which was considered by many in the industry to be unfilmable (so was “Life of Pi,” and that turned out brilliant), is a bad combination of technobabble plotting, underwritten characters and overdone and unrealistic CGI effects.

When scientist Mr. Murray (Chris Pine) finds a wormhole allowing him to time travel billions of light years, he makes the leap, but gets lost for four years somewhere, we suppose, in all the wrinkles. When his daughter Meg (Storm Reid) finds out she is the only one that can bring him home, she makes a journey to find him inside the depths of time with her little brother, friend and three enchanted beings – Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey).

Far from a future classic, “A Wrinkle in Time” will be relegated to the category where forgotten fantasy family fare like “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl” takes up space.